Dhamma / Q&A

By Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu

Recordings of live Q&A sessions (including talks in beginning) from 2020 onwards.... more

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Dhamma / Q&A:

How many episodes does Dhamma / Q&A have?

The podcast currently has 197 episodes available.

Dhamma / Q&A episodes:

January 09, 2021 Freedom (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
01:31 Topic of the Dhamma Talk: Freedom
32:15 Sometimes pain is so overwhelming that I find it very distracting to sit with & accept it. Should I sit everytime I feel pain? How can I accept pain and not resist it?
33:49 I have some very negative thoughts all the time. How do you stop this way of thinking?
37:38 Should I label the lasting sensations like subtle vibrations or heartbeats, or is it enough just to be aware of them?
38:44 How should we deal with clinging to expectations about a meditation session? Also, what precautions should be taken to also avoid clinging to the teachings and obsessing about them?
41:34 I noticed that being tempted from lust and loneliness is a very immense hinderance for me from free thoughts. How do you deal with this through meditation?
42:52 I’ve often heard the term "Beginner’s Mind" used. Would this be something to incorporate in my meditation practice?
45:26 How do you find the greater pleasure in meditation that will give you reason not to go back to the sense pleasure realm?
48:36 How useful is feeling shame? When you lie, you should feel shame so you know that it is not the right thing to do, right? What about shame in general? Should we notice it as shame during meditation?
51:39 Does our ability to be mindful fortify the mind the more we practice, or is it similar to building muscle, wherein one can lose their mindfulness quickly without consistent practice?
52:46 At what point in the meditation practice can the study of text become useful? I'm concerned about encountering something that will cause doubt to arise.
54:19 How could I start a habit to make me meditate more often?
56:23 How does one deal with parents that are manipulative? I do sometimes have empathy for them even though they hurt me, but I feel like the more they are involved in my life the more suffering.
1:00:15 I can't maintain my concentration for more than 5 minutes while meditating. What's the way to maintain concentration while meditating?
1:02:33 How does one overcome the fear of losing someone that you love very much?
1:03:08 What practice can I begin today so that gradually I may start moving towards the ultimate goal of this human life?
1:07:54 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
1h 9min
January 02, 2021 Happy New Year (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
00:57 Topic of the Dhamma Talk: Happy New Year
42:26 I often suffer from loneliness and not having as many friends as I'd like. Any tips to help with suffering from this?
47:30 Can I say to others that my practice, which is based on your teachings, is to reach 100% conformance with reality?
50:02 Is it improper to intently focus only on unpleasant feelings in order to see their true nature? Or should one just note any feeling that arises?
52:03 I've struggled with depression my whole life, especially the last 4-6 years, including a lot of destructive behavior. I just can't get out of this circuit. What advice can you give to help break this cycle?
54:25 When walking, I feel more and more that the foot moves by itself. Is ita sign of progress in the meditation? Or does this have any significance?
55:02 When walking, and my concentration is good, I often experience a light pressure in my face. Should I note this every time it arises?
57:06 Are there benefits to meditating or chanting in large groups?
57:54 I make music for a living and I find that noting can become more difficult while playing an instrument. Is it simply best to note "playing" while I practice guitar and "singing" while I sing?
58:55 What level of impermanence should we see to realize Nibbana? For example when moving, is seeing the lifting, then the moving, then the placing enough? Or should we see the many moments of those movements?
1:01:05 Is the main goal of meditation to train our minds into observing everything as it happens? Such as something happening internally, regardless of any external circumstances.
1:02:30 Is it recommended to seek out unpleasant experiences for meditation, in order to see them as they are?
1:03:01 How can the non-verbal awareness of mindfulness meditation help people develop a healthier philosophy about themselves, others and life on a verbal level?
1:04:36 How do we note phenomena for which there is not yet a name or label?
1:05:04 I have struggled with back pain all my life, which I learned from a doctor that this can be due to stress and emotions in my unconscious brain. Do you advice on how to help with this?
1:07:07 Can we say one experience arises because another has ceased?
1:07:34 How do I help someone that is suffering get into meditation?
1:09:39 While on the path of letting go, outside of noting inner resistance to thoughts or situations, are there other things I need to do?
1:11:11 How do I deal with loneliness through meditation?
1:11:36 I tend to slouch when I relax during my meditations. How important is posture when meditating or is it more about a quality of mind?
1:12:19 While I was meditating recently and minding the breath, since nothing else was bothering me, my mind went into almost a void. Do you have advice on how to keep this from happening?
1:13:56 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
1h 15min
December 31, 2020 Impermanent, Stressful, Selfless (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
03:12 Topic of the Dhamma Talk: Impermanent, Stressful, Selfless
34:00 During a recent session, my mind stopped noting, but I was keenly aware of everything around me and in my mind: sensations, feelings, emotions, thoughts, everything. I felt my mind clear and still during and afterwards, with no clinging or craving. I was hoping you could shed some light on this. Did I make a mistake?
36:43 There are some sessions in which I desperately try to hold on and finish but the pressure Is too overwhelming and I break down in tears. Am I pushing myself too hard?
40:46 I have never practiced loving kindness before, but I think it would be beneficial to my practice. What Is the technique for practicing loving kindness and for how long should I practice?
42:26 I have OCD, and so to deal with intrusive thoughts and feelings, I’ve been noting "obsessing", "reacting" and "disliking". My OCD in general, has always been driven by the objective to create doubt, fear and guilt. How will noting help me overcome this?
44:05 When I practice meditation, thoughts, music, or feelings arise, and when I note them they disappear. What should I do?
45:08 Sometimes in meditation I go deep into thoughts and forget to be in the present moment. By going deeply into thoughts, am I doing it wrong?
46:28 The idea of impermanence has made me feel uneasy about long-term projects and commitments. How should I handle these feelings? They make me question if I should do anything.
52:42 What should we do when noting "touching"? Should I visualize the touch point or also the thinking about it? I sometimes visualize a white light coming out from the point, and I'm confused by it.
53:14 When confronted by very stressful emotions that are so hard to accept, is it worth feeling all the pain and suffering from these emotions or simply distract ourselves from them?
54:20 When I note, should I use my mother tongue, or can I use English? Very often, English words are shorter, more succinct and to-the-point.
55:09 I feel that when I note a sensation in my mind by saying "breathing in, breathing out" that this creates a distance from direct experience of the sensation and I focus too much on the word. What am I doing wrong?
56:59 I'm becoming more and more lazy and negligent, and I'm noting, but also practicing less. I feel a little off-track. If I'm worried I also notice it, so should I just accept this and observe passively?
57:44 I sleep at varying hours. Should I wait to sign up for the at-home course until I've corrected my sleep schedule?
58:28 Would "in hurry" or simply "hurry" be a valid noting, such as when waiting in a line or waiting for the alarm bell to end the session?
59:10 In meditation, I often find that I am striving for a sense of peace or happiness. Is this ineffective practice, and (if so) what exactly should I be aiming for in meditation?
1:00:40 What is the best way to stop identifying with thoughts?
1:02:04 Sometimes when meditating, I feel so embarrassed to meditate that when people come near me I just stop. What should I do to not feel embarrassed?
1:02:36 I have problems with memory because of schizophrenia and also medication. I have meditated for some time now but it's hard to be mindful the whole day. Can I still make progress with these problems?
1:04:07 Intellectually, I understand that the body is impermanent and selfless, so should one focus more on the meditation instead of keeping up with exercises and getting healthy?
1:06:16 During meditation, I find my mind takes a long time to quiet itself, but eventually I find peace. When I come out of meditation, I feel disconnected from the world, empty, perhaps depressed. Why do I feel this way?
1:08:43 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
1h 10min
December 24, 2020 Aparihāniya (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
02:22 On the topic of Aparihaniya
16:13 When I'm meditating, sometimes I think about my mom's suffering from her illness and I end up becoming emotional. I cry. Do I Simply note the feeling? Or stop and continue when it's gone?
17:28 How should one approach "wanting" to be mindful? Is this considered a hindrance and should it be noted? I noticed it in meditation the other day.
18:18 I don't have a private spot to meditate in my mom's apartment. Would it be weird to just go into my bathroom and try meditating?
22:02 I just became a Buddhist. Would it be useful to come out to my family about this? They're heavily Christian.
24:03 What happens on your online course?
25:08 How can we regain the motivation to practice if we've been away from the practice for a while?
25:56 Sometimes I do sitting meditation first. Is this ok?
26:26 Can we take a second at-home course because of the extenuating circumstances? Since there's no possibility to go on retreat for me and I feel I could use some guidance.
27:47 Sometimes when I know things, I get stuck on what I noted rather than focusing on the rising and falling. Should I move past this or just practice?
28:29 The only time I find my mind can stay with meditation, is when I am noting pain. Is this common?
29:47 Should a Buddhist diet consist of veganism only?
30:04 Can we see rising of the stomach as arising and ceasing, and falling as arising and ceasing?
31:06 What chants would be useful to chant if one can't note?
31:26 How long should one wait before attempting to ordain as a monk?
32:14 Should I be concerned that because of some unwholesome past deeds, I was born into a society that is oblivious of the Buddha's teaching and/or lacks a Sangha?
33:34 I find it useful to do the Wim Hof method of breathing before meditating. It gets me a bit more relaxed. Is this ok to use in conjunction with my meditation?
34:33 During meditation I get so calm and serene and I am left with nothing to note. What next?
35:01 I've been dealing with sloth for months. What should I note to get out of this lazy mindstate?
35:46 Could the first jhana arise during the practice of insight meditation?
36:41 How large of a hinderance are Athletics/Martial Arts to meditative progress?
37:56 Could every physical pain be overcome by insight meditation?
38:30 Should we do other meditations too or is vipassana all we must do?
39:15 What view should be taken lust?
39:51 When noting, should we differentiate between doubt in the practice or doubt about the Dhamma and, for example, the most extreme opposite, doubt about useless worldly things?
40:37 Would you recommend doing vipassana before samatha or the samatha first?
41:05 When I meditate, my perception of reality becomes sometimes distorted. Is this normal?
42:03 When we meditate enough, we hopefully will find the middle way. But that seems like a bland pointless place to be, so I find motivation to meditate hard. Am I completely wrong about middle way?
43:03 Where Is the first place to begin when starting the journey?
44:00 How big of a hindrance to meditation progress is learning a musical instrument? How about reading classic books?
45:37 I have trouble when I meditate. It feels like the feeling in my feet lock up. May I have some advice?
46:11 How can I understand and get rid of lust?
46:37 I have schizophrenia and am on medication. I meditate. Do you think I could handle the symptoms (delusions) without medication?
48:48 What do we do if we get music stuck in our head? I note it, but the "song" does not go away and it can get very annoying, making me frustrated.
49:35 What would be a good reason to read the Visuddhimagga?
51:03 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
52min
December 19, 2020 Purification (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
04:11 On the topic of Purification
31:00 I have problems staying mindful when I am trying to settle down naughty children at my job, and I'm thinking of quitting because of this. Is it expected that practice is hard in a lay life like this?
36:51 How does someone cease hatred, greed, and delusion?
37:28 I have a lack of dreaming while sleeping at night after long and regular meditation. Is it a good signal that I am on the right path?
39:34 Outside of formal meditation, would you recommend noting the four body positions over specific phenomena like touching/lifting/pulling/placing?
40:48 I may pursue actions against harassment at work. How do I do this without causing harm? How do I know if I should give up or proceed? The process is hard on me.
48:33 What is your opinion on wordly affairs and romantic relationships being an obstacle to practice?
49:31 Can living a lay life propel one's practice because of the challenges, as opposed to living a secluded ordained life?
50:43 When I focus on a bodily sensation, a lot of times my mind starts to expect, or sometimes even fear the sensation will get more intense. So is that expectation just a thought?
51:48 Sometimes meditation puts me into a bad mood. Why do you think I experience that?
54:46 How do we deal with catastrophic thinking during an episode of a panic attack?
1:00:17 How do you break the habit of mental proliferation (overthinking)?
1:01:11 I attain states of realization, but then lose them. Why is that?
1:02:09 How do you deal with physical pain getting worse over time with meditation, like back pain getting worse over weeks of meditation?
1:03:05 How do we move forward from the crippling inaction when dealing with remorse and regret for bad deeds, and how do we strengthen resolve to not repeat bad habits in meditation practice?
1:04:47 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
1h 6min
December 17, 2020 The Three Jewels (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
04:03 On the topic of The Three Jewels
28:54 Does one need a certain level of intelligence to understand Buddhism and meditation?
31:39 Regularly noting the touching points seems impossible. I almost always get distracted before noting "sitting". There seems to be so many sensations that arise, and if it's not one thing, it's another. I've noticed when I note the frustration or the seemingly overarching feeling that I'll never have a smooth meditation, I feel a sense of relief, like the noting worked — like the noting and the meditation finally worked. Am I onto something with noting what feels like overarching feelings? Even if it feels like I have to sort of look for it?
33:43 When meditating, sometimes I see a flash of an image, perhaps from a movie or a memory. Other times there is a long stream of conversation. Should I note them the same or differently due to duration?
34:27 How should we deal with difficult meditation sessions? I sometimes experience obstacles in my meditation and often end up beating myself up, since I am not sure if I'm doing enough.
35:23 Should we eat in the morning before formal meditation? Isn't it bad for digestion to exercise right after eating? Not sure how true it is, but if it is, does the slowness of walking negate this?
36:35 When meditating, after a thought is complete, I note the thinking. I noticed there are different levels of noting, either stopping and taking my full attention, or sometimes taking my partial attention to note. Which is correct?
37:19 I realized I'd been neglecting the instruction to look 6 feet ahead of you while doing walking meditation. I usually look at my feet. What's the reason for this, and how important is it?
38:28 How can I focus on meditation when I'm in great pain and I get constantly interrupted? Pain I can manage, but I live with people that strongly oppose Buddhism, so I have to practice in secret.
39:47 Sometimes when I don't push myself to note 1 note per second, it feels easier and more efficient. It feels like maybe 1 note per second is too fast for me. Is this okay?
41:20 During meditation, as my mind starts to wander, sometimes I can notice the moment before it wanders off. Should I force it back to the present or simply note it before it goes and once it comes back?
41:53 Is noting "Knowing" or "feeling" vs. something more specific a crutch that should be removed? Sometimes I get a feeling I can't name and call it "knowing" every time.
42:25 How can we balance "practicing as if our heads were on fire" vs. not forcing ourselves/pushing ourselves?
43:00 Is it possible to be deeply immersed in sorrow throughout the meditation without the object? Is it due to expectation?
44:11 What is something you find people commonly misunderstand about meditation?
44:49 I realized that I cannot incorporate anything into myself. Like everything IS outside of myself including myself. Is this non-incorporateness the same as non-self?
46:23 You recommend the noting technique in meditation. However, some teachers see noting as a distraction and recommend only breath or body awareness. Can one reconcile these different views?
47:08 You mentioned that if one dies with an impure state of mind, it is possible to be reborn as a lesser being. Would this still happen even if one maintained a pure mind the majority of their life?
48:08 What are the differences in feeling between each jhana? Is jhana a reasonable path to stream entry or are there other requirements and conditions?
49:43 Do meditation journals help the meditation practice?
50:20 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
54min
December 10, 2020 Success (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
03:40 On the topic of Success
29:11 How should one prepare themselves for the at-home meditation course?
30:34 Is it like putting the cart before the horse to say, "This is anicca" or "anatta" in dealing with our defilements? Rather, are they wisdom to be realised as a result of the practice which is satipathana?
32:46 With sila, samadhi, and panna, is panna the result of samadhi, or the practice?
33:20 It's so hard for me to start my coursework because I'm always procrastinating. What should I note?
34:54 Is noting easier when we pull back and step back instead of being too involved and entranced by happenings in current moment?
35:50 I will start a job as a software engineer. How can I train myself to incorporate the practice on this job as much as possible? When I'll be coding, my mind will be concentrated, absorbed in concepts.
36:56 Is it right to sit for 2 hours in a single stretch for meditation, 3 times a day?
37:49 Should we elongate notings or note things twice? How should we determine this?
38:40 In walking meditation: a sound captures the attention, so I go "stopping". Then I have to observe what's there, right? Which most cases is "confused". I don't have to blindly say "listening", right?
39:42 How do I use meditation, to help me see my daydreaming more "clearly"? I tend to do maladaptive daydreaming a lot during the day.
40:32 How can one prevent physical things from happening during meditation, such as tearing of the eyes from what feels like a swelling of energy travelling upwards into the top of the head?
41:22 Is there any difference on noting things that occur passively without our wanting, like "rising" or actively because we want it like "moving"? Shouldn't the practice just be passively observing?
43:29 If I meditate, should I tolerate whatever others do to me or other's defilements?
45:58 Is there a need to increase the length of our meditation sessions over time?
46:43 If I am meditating and something pops into my head, maybe a memory, is it right to view that as a subconscious mind? That seems to be that our awake mind cannot see everything going in our mind.
47:31 I tried walking meditation. It was difficult because of broken/no sidewalk on the stretch outside my house. I have to be alert constantly about vehicles. It could be dangerous. Any suggestions?
48:21 I feel like I'm approaching a midlife crisis. I feel as though I've wasted my life with many regrets and now these feelings, thoughts, and memories are overwhelming. Can meditation really help with this?
50:31 Do you have any advice for meditating before big life events that will drastically change our lives for better or worse? Or maybe for harder or for easier is a better way to put it.
51:20 Is it ok when I see unwanted imaginations while meditating? I switch my mind to feel like a lotus that is hydrophobic to the dirty water, then my mind is empty again, or do I accept the thoughts and analyze?
51:56 How should I explain my meditation to my parents? I live in the same house and I dont know how they would accept doing hours of meditation in my room.
54:51 Should we cultivate an inclination on exploring how things ceases? Like, "Ok, I feel sad, let me see how long this lasts; Now I feel angry, let me see how long this lasts" until no more things to note?
55:36 What can I do so that noting naturally arises?
56:21 I have found today’s topic very interesting. Any sutta recommendations about this particular topic, so that I may learn more?
57:48 Should we ever pay specific attention to noting the discrete nature of time, or should we just note this thought when we have it and keep meditating?
58:11 In the Lankavatara Sutra, the Buddha says "Only the Mind is." If only the mind is, then controlling it, becomes impossible. Could you please explain this?
59:13 I have dreams of demons torturing me, and these dreams cause physical pain. Do you have any advice?
1:01:01 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
1h 2min
December 05, 2020 The Castle (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
00:55 On the topic of The Castle
20:54 My practice has brought some things to light. I have an obsessive fear of forgetting. When studying the Suttas, I read and re-read compulsively, spending hours on a single sentence. Same with these Q&As. I rewatch them many times, trying to commit everything to memory. In meditation, the problem deepens. I grasp at "important" thoughts, fearing forgetting. Any advice?
24:55 My mind tends to wander without great effort for being mindful. Should I instead watch and let the mind do what it does instead of forcing mindfulness?
25:42 Can meditation become addictive? And if so, is this bad?
26:58 How can I practice while being heartbroken, rejected, jealous? It's more than sad, discouraged, and overwhelmed. It feels more like actually "dead", "lifeless", "hypnotized".
31:32 If I'm texting someone while watching one of your videos, what should I note since I'm doing two things at once?
32:54 The more I meditate during the day, the harder I find it to sleep. I try to meditate when lying down when I can’t sleep but I think this makes my mind more active. Any advice?
34:44 At times when meditating, I feel a very strong pull into what I can only describe as oblivion. I startle when I feel this moment coming on and my concentration is broken. Any advice?
35:32 Can I do one day of 12 hours of meditation on the weekend? Is there a problem with doing these long sessions in normal life? Is it ok?
36:56 What should I do if I try to quit the meditation early?
37:40 What is the best way to get rid of doubt?
38:44 I find that I’ve been able to return to the present frequently enough that I only have to deal with unpleasant sensations for a brief moment. Is this correct practice, or do you think I'm running away?
39:50 I feel anxious for my doctor appointment this coming Friday. How should I meditate to help me not be so scared?
41:17 Do you have any recommendations on how to best deal with anger in the moment? During meditation is one thing, however outside of it feels much more difficult.
43:13 How do you know you are making progress in meditation?
44:38 Can meditation be practiced alongside psychotherapy, or does such a focus on the past defeat the purpose of meditation?
46:21 Is continuing to follow your desires and attempting to do so mindfully preferable to abstaining from desirable things at the risk of repressing your desires?
47:20 Certain things are reflexes. They’re inherent. Is it fair to say, or appropriate to say, you should just note them, let them pass, experience them, and let them pass?
48:25 Is it a good idea to practice the satipatthanas while driving?
49:29 I feel it is complex to be mindful throughout the day. Can we start being mindful for a few hours a day and progress on so forth?
50:46 Can mindfulness help us during emergency situations?
51:44 I never want to do walking meditation. How do I make myself so that I do both types of meditation?
52:36 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
54min
December 03, 2020 Essence (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
01:43 On the topic of Essence
26:04 Why is mindfulness difficult to sustain?
28:10 Why do thoughts come while meditating?
29:21 How can one strengthen determination?
29:48 I have felt that noting “seeing” or “thinking” has implied a purposeful sense of control and have started to note "not trying to hear or see" when noting my experience to be mindful of nonself. Is this ok?
32:12 Sometimes I worry about what happens after I die. Should I be worrying about this?
35:03 Should we calm and relax first in our meditation? I find myself not relaxed or calm like if I do breathing meditation.
37:42 Do you feel energy (viriya) when you are noting? Is it energy (viriya) that allows you to keep noting the whole day?
39:06 How can we decide which difficulties we should fight and which should be left for a different path?
40:11 Can satipatthana meditation help to be reborn in heaven?
42:02 When I feel concentrated my body will do odd things. Sometimes my face will twitch very rapidly, too rapidly to note each sensation. How does one note when the senses are quickly presenting like this?
43:01 Are things that we think are out of our control like specific behaviors or reactions really just an illusion or a ego concept as well?
44:48 What is the difference between sila and right effort?
46:42 Is it good practice to stop directed thinking and evaluation as much as possible?
47:31 I have a severe porn addiction and I have tried everything but it doesn't seem to go away. What's your advice?
49:43 What does a person do if they have severe homicidal thoughts or the passion to harm things?
50:50 What is a good goal for the day that I should set?
51:58 What are the long-term effects of noting on meditation?
53:29 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
54min
November 28, 2020 Views (with Q&A)
This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

00:00 Welcome
00:50 On the topic of Views
27:12 While practicing mindfulness and noting during daily life, I've experienced periods of no thought in conversation that make it hard to talk to others. When present my mind is still/blank. Do you have any tips on what to do?
30:24 I'm not in an environment where I can sit down and meditate, currently. Would you suggest mentally noting my experiences instead?
32:07 Whenever I ride with my family they play such vulgar music. What could I do to remain mindful when this upsets me?
33:36 Whenever someone is continually being irritating just to see me get angry, what should I note?
35:17 Sometimes I can notice the three marks of phenomena in meditation. However, that knowledge seems to me only intellectual. Is there any advice to transition from intellectual knowledge into real knowledge? Or are patience and diligence in the practice my greatest allies?
38:46 How can one let go of someone? The meditation practice seems to get stuck when all the thought patterns continuously cling to the person.
42:56 How can we easily forgive?
45:30 How do I note "distracted" while I am distracted (lost in some thoughts)?
46:28 In meditation I sometimes find my mind wonders overwhelmingly. I try to go back to the rise and fall of the belly, and note "thinking" but thoughts are still overwhelming and hard to calm down. What do I do?
48:10 When I send the mind to the place of itching, I find the itching coming and going and not constant. Should I only note when I feel the itch happening, and stop when it stops temporarily?
49:16 When I send the mind to the sitting posture, sometimes I can recognize the sitting and other times I can't. Is this because I am expecting to have the same experience of sitting as before?
50:06 It feels like in order for the noting to be proper, I have to wait for the experience to happen. Is this always necessary?
50:56 Is it possible to get to a mindfulness level of seeing 100% clearly if you are only lying in a hospital bed?
51:32 While I try to note everything, my speed of working decreases. When I have to do something quickly, I lose my mindfulness. May I have some advice about this?
52:19 What is it going on in my body when it goes numb and feels vibration when I meditate?
53:38 I haven't been meditating lately, and I feel like I'm going back to my old ways and habits. Any advice?
55:12 Can one reach Nibbana in lay life?
55:45 When we note thinking, does that indicate that we are not the thinker and we are simply aware of our thoughts?
56:38 Can I meditate incorrectly? I think I have meditated incorrectly for at least 6 months. I am trying to be the "observer" but sometimes I get sucked into my thoughts and waste my time.
58:51 Sadhu...
Our podcasts: https://podcast.sirimangalo.org/
How To Meditate Booklet: https://htm.sirimangalo.org/
Our Meditation Community and At-Home Meditation Course signup page: https://meditation.sirimangalo.org/
Our Website: https://www.sirimangalo.org/
Supporting This Work: https://www.sirimangalo.org/support

"
...more
1h

FAQs about Dhamma / Q&A:

How many episodes does Dhamma / Q&A have?

The podcast currently has 197 episodes available.

More shows like Dhamma / Q&A

Dhamma Talks (Part 2) by Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu

Dhamma Talks (Part 2)

3 Listeners

Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts by Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage

Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

9 Listeners